Impact of SARS-COV-2 pandemic on medical education: "compulsory" migration for elearning modality, preliminary insights from medical education ...
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Experience Report Impact of SARS-COV-2 pandemic on medical education: "compulsory" migration for elearning modality, preliminary insights from medical education managers Impacto da pandemia do SARS-COV-2 na educação médica: migração "compulsória" para o modelo remoto, uma visão preliminar de gestores da educação médica Luiz Fernando Quintanilha1 Katia de Miranda Avena2 Lucélia Batista Neves Cunha Magalhães3 Bruno de Bezerril Andrade4 1 Centro Universitário UniFTC, Universidade Salvador (Salvador). Bahia, Brazil. contato@quintanilhaeducacao.com 2-3 Centro Universitário UniFTC (Salvador). Bahia, Brazil. katiaavena@hotmail.com, luceliamagalhaes@terra.com.br 4 Corresponding author. Centro Universitário UniFTC, Universidade Salvador, Escola Bahiana de Medicina e Saúde Pública, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Salvador). Bahia, Brazil. bbezerril.ssa@ftc.br ABSTRACT | INTRODUCTION: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic affected the RESUMO | INTRODUÇÃO: A pandemia por SARS-CoV-2 impactou os educational models offered in medical courses. In this context, with modelos educacionais ofertados nos cursos de Medicina. Nesse contex- the authorization to offer courses remotely, there is an unprecedented to, com a autorização para oferta de disciplinas remotamente, evidencia- acceleration in the migration from the traditional model to the eLearning -se uma aceleração sem precedentes na migração do modelo presencial model, which was already occurring gradually in the Brazilian higher para ensino remoto, o que já vinha ocorrendo gradativamente no siste- education system. Due to the social isolation to face the crisis, this ma de educação superior brasileiro. Devido ao isolamento social para model is being applied in full in many Higher-educational institutions enfrentamento da crise, este modelo está sendo aplicado integralmente (HEIs) in the country and may have repercussions on methodological em muitas Instituições de Ensino Superior (IES) do país, podendo reper- changes in medical education. OBJECTIVES: To discuss the impact cutir em mudanças metodológicas na educação médica. OBJETIVOS: of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on medical education, analyzing the Discutir o impacto da pandemia do SARS-CoV-2 na educação médica, migration to eLearning Modality. METHOD: A reflection was made analisando a migração para o modelo remoto. MÉTODO: Baseado na ex- from management meetings at two private universities based on the periência dos autores na gestão da educação médica, foi realizada uma authors' experience in medical education management. RESULTS: The reflexão a partir de reuniões gerenciais de duas IES privadas. RESULTA- global pandemic context has impacted teaching within the scope of DOS: O contexto de pandemia global promoveu impactos no ensino no students, professors, and HEIs. The high investments in the migration âmbito do corpo discente, docente e IES. Os altos investimentos na mi- of the teaching model and the high dropout rate have impacted the gração do modelo de ensino e a alta taxa de evasão vêm repercutindo suspension of contracts for teachers from private HEIs. The inequality na suspensão de contratos de docentes de IES privadas. A desigualdade of technological access, unsuitable environments, and the poor de acesso tecnológico, ambientes não propícios e a má qualidade da quality of telephony/internet in the country can impact on academic telefonia/internet no país podem impactar no desempenho acadêmico. performance. CONCLUSIONS: It is undeniable that medical education CONCLUSÕES: É inegável que a educação médica está sendo profunda- is suffering a profound transformation by this global health crisis. mente transformada por essa crise global de saúde. Entretanto, ainda However, it is too early to say with certainty the size of this impact. é cedo para afirmar com segurança o tamanho desse impacto. Futura- In the future, it will be necessary to adapt the concept of evidence- mente, será necessário adaptar o conceito de Ensino Médico baseado based medical education to assess the practical repercussions of this em evidências para avaliar com clareza as repercussões práticas dessa pandemic in medical education. pandemia no ensino da Medicina. KEYWORDS: Coronavirus. eLearning. Medical Education. PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Coronavírus. Educação a Distância. Educação Médica. How to cite this article: Quintanilha LF, Avena KM, Magalhães LBNC, Andrade BB. Impacto da pandemia do SARS-COV-2 na educação Submitted 09/18/2020, Accepted 01/14/2021, Published 04/29/2021 médica: migração "compulsória" para o modelo remoto, uma visão Inter. J. Health Educ., Salvador, 2021 October;5(1):xx-xx preliminar de gestores da educação médica. Inter J Health Educ. http://dx.doi.org/10.17267/2594-7907ijhe.v5i1.3288 | ISSN: 2594-7907 2021;5(1):xx-xx. http://dx.doi.org/10.17267/2594-7907ijhe.v5i1.3288
Background of the situation moments of urgent demands with the presence of members of the Structuring Teaching Nucleus and The global crisis caused by the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic representatives of the maintainer. has impacted societies around the world in several ways. Changes in the economy, professional, family, From these meetings, the group of authors met for health, and education relationships have been the development of the present work to discuss intensively discussed. All these spheres have already the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in medical suffered important impacts and will certainly continue education, analyzing the "compulsory" migration to to be impacted in the course of the crisis and for a the remote model and its short and medium-term considerable period after pandemic control. perspectives for managers, teachers, and students, the main actors in this process. In this context, Faced with the pandemic scenario, the Ministries the historical pre-pandemic and post-pandemic of Education (MEC) and Health (MS) have been movements were highlighted, and from that, the capitalizing on a series of measures whose impacts construction of reflections about the impacts of these reflect directly or indirectly on the entire Brazilian changes in the view of the authors. society. For example, in the field of medical education, eLearning classes from the first to the fourth year However, due to the characteristics of the analysis, in the undergraduate medical program, except for this work has a national scope for describing the internship and laboratory professional practices, have current medical education scenario based on MEC been legally made possible for the time being. That and MS resolutions and performing prognostics generates significant changes in medical education based on current observations and evidence in and can greatly influence the modus operandi of the context of remote teaching in undergraduate medical courses and the actions of the main players medical courses. involved in the very near future. In the educational field, the scenario of adaptation to the crisis will no longer be an exclusively emergency Summary of results and will impact the way medical education is managed in the country, including the adoption of General aspects of higher education in Brazil remote teaching on a larger scale and its practical implications. In this context, from the perspective of According to the Higher Education Census published managers of two private medical courses in the state by the National Institute of Educational Studies and of Bahia, this article proposes to discuss the impact Research Anísio Teixeira (INEP) in 2019, the average of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on medical education, age of teachers working in public and private higher analyzing the "compulsory" migration to remote education institutions (HEIs) is 38 years. This age education, the strategies in the context of changes in group assumes that these teachers had contact with the migration of teaching models, and the impacts on technological advances in an incipient way and were the modus operandi of medical schools in Brazil. educated in traditional teaching models. On the other hand, students who enter higher education classrooms currently have an average age of 19 years (face-to-face education) and 21 years (eLearning).1 Abstract of the work Therefore, they belong to the so-called Z-generation, digital natives, globalized, used to interactive Based on the authors' experience in educational environments, and, due to these characteristics, management in the medical area and considering have great difficulty in belonging to more traditional the moment of a health crisis with profound impacts teaching models. At the same time, they are very on the educational sector, a case report was made receptive to new teaching and learning strategies.2 from organizational meetings of two private higher Recent studies have shown that this generation is education institutions (HEIs) in the state of Bahia, highly receptive to online tools and the insertion carried out from March to June 2020. These meetings of active teaching methodologies and, therefore, took place weekly and, in an extraordinary way, in extremely adaptable to the remote teaching model.3,4 Inter. J. Health Educ., Salvador, 2021 October;5(1):xx-xx http://dx.doi.org/10.17267/2594-7907ijhe.v5i1.3288 | ISSN: 2594-7907 2
This observation is in accordance with data released Several advantages are reported in this teaching by the Brazilian Association of Higher Education model, such as flexibility, universal access, cost Maintainers (ABMES), which finds that, despite the reduction, and geographical reach. All these factors pandemic, there has been a substantial increase in are considered positive characteristics of the the number of students considering entering higher eLearning model, making this teaching modality education early 2021.5 Besides, ABMES also projects have positive perceptions and gain more and more that the number of enrollments in eLearning will adepts in Medicine and other health courses.11 exceed the number of enrollments in person before However, despite the substantial increase in courses, the predicted time and that hybrid education will the eLearning modality in Brazil still lacks better continue with a strong trend of expansion.6 preparation by teachers and tutors involved in the process12,13, and some resistance is still identified on eLearning in Brazilian Higher Education the part of teachers.14,15 That may be related to factors such as traditional training, resistance and fear of Although they are not synonyms and have change, scarcity of resources, time for training, and characteristics that differentiate them, in this work, inability with technological resources.15 the terms "EaD" and "remote teaching" are used as such for their functional similarities in terms of the eLearning Brazilian Regulation use of technology in the teaching-learning process. eLearning is understood as the educational modality in The MEC has been clearly in favor of the expansion which didactic-pedagogical mediation in the teaching- of eLearning in the country. The Brazilian decree learning processes occurs through technological 9,057/2017, for example, allows the HEIs to offer "bridges" between the teacher and students who are exclusively undergraduate and postgraduate lato- geographically separated.7 Temporally, this modality sensu courses at a distance without the need to can be synchronous or asynchronous, depending on offer face-to-face courses simultaneously. In 2018, whether the interaction occurs in real-time or not.8 eLearning courses also contemplated academic and professional postgraduate programs stricto-sensu The eLearning modality grows in alignment with (Master and Doctorate). changes in social contexts, such as access to the internet, the scarcity of free time, and other The expansion of eLearning vacancies universalizes factors related to modernity. Also, because of the access, allows students from the countryside to take characteristics of the student, eLearning has gained their undergraduate and graduate courses, and, with strength in the country in recent years. From 2008 to this, increases the possibility of continuing education 2018, the number of students enrolled in eLearning in more distant locations, in addition to facilitating courses jumped from 463,093 to 1,373,321 students, the achievement of educational goals in the country an expressive increase of almost three times that in the area of higher education enrollment. Another allows us to predict that in the next few years, this indication in this direction came with a recent MEC modality will surpass the number of registrations in resolution increasing the limit of subjects offered in the face-to-face model.6 the eLearning modality for undergraduate courses. The Brazilian ordinance 1,428/2018 doubled the limit, Specifically, in the undergraduate medical program, from 20% to 40%, for the offer of eLearning subjects there are still restrictions, as will be demonstrated in face-to-face courses. According to this ordinance, below. On the other hand, for continuing education, however, this rule does not apply to courses in the the eLearning courses' existence has always been health area. It is not known how this scenario will considered beneficial and can reach professionals evolve in the country nor the speed with which this who live far from the large centers and/or with a will occur, but it is coherent to think, by evidence, that shortage of time.9,10 Currently, there is a wide range of there will be a generalized increase of the offer of this options for refresher courses in the country, covered teaching modality, besides the quality and efficiency by renowned teaching and research institutions of the technologies used by it. The migration to the offered in this modality. remote model in the current SARS-CoV-2 crisis can contribute immensely to this scenario. Inter. J. Health Educ., Salvador, 2021 October;5(1):xx-xx http://dx.doi.org/10.17267/2594-7907ijhe.v5i1.3288 | ISSN: 2594-7907 3
What lessons were learned On the other hand, there was a crueler impact on the teaching staff that revealed itself more visibly at the The impact of the pandemic on medical turn of the school semester. In addition to the already education documented impact on quality of life18,19, due to the possibility of maintaining remote classes regulated by The new coronavirus pandemic (SARS-CoV-2) is the MEC, with the high investments in the migration imposing changes in relationships in the social, family, of the teaching model and the high evasion rate in work, health, and education spheres. In this current the eLearning modality20,21, private HEIs suspended scenario, the MEC has authorized eLearning for HEIs contracts. They carried out dismissals of many but has prohibited the medical course from doing teachers throughout the country. the same. Shortly after, it changed its positioning and allowed the Medicine course to offer the online Public HEIs, on the other hand, paused their activities, modality in the theoretical-cognitive disciplines from and their teachers were prevented from teaching. the first to the fourth year. Many arguments were used for the suspension, the most widespread being the inequality of technological This way, the HEIs, especially the private ones, access of their academic communities. Even in the the majority in the country, could guarantee the medical course, usually with more affluent social fulfillment of the academic schedule and the entrance characteristics, studies show a lack of Internet access of resources from the tuition and enrollment. Data at home and environments not conducive to better from the Union of Higher Education Institutions in student performance.22,23 Add to this the known poor the State of São Paulo (Semesp) pointed out that quality of telephony and internet in the country. In in August 2020, 99% of private HEIs had already this scenario, some institutions have mitigated these migrated to remote education.16 In turn, despite inequalities with various strategies such as offering the controversies generated, the students were chips, lending notebooks to students with greater guaranteed the right to finish the semester, in general, difficulties, and assigning spaces on their campus by without delays. However, only the theoretical content appointment. of their subjects was contemplated. Although there are already alternative virtual tools17, it is forbidden Future perspectives in medical schools to use them for subjects that contemplate practical activities in the pedagogical plan until the moment of Just as the world's main centers have been practicing the elaboration of this work. teaching through technological bridges, MEC has been encouraging the eLearning modality for some When analyzing the impact on the teaching staff, it is time. With the changes imposed by the pandemic, a observed that the teachers, mostly accustomed to the good part of the teachers has become, necessarily, face-to-face teaching model, had to adapt quickly and more used to the modality. In this context, future compulsorily to this new format. Without time for the perspectives point to the increasing use of this setting and training of the "new" technologies, it was modality by HEIs. That is the scenario that teachers clearly noticed a strong movement of the HEIs to train and students must adapt to. their teaching staff to virtualize activities promptly. The tools for this, in general, already existed but were not For HEIs, investing in remote and distance learning used or were underused. Thus, the remote model that is advantageous because of the possibility of cost was gradually gaining strength in numbers suddenly reduction and greater gains by staggering their regional reached most of the private medical teaching offered presence. For students, despite the disadvantages in the country's main centers16, and teachers had to mentioned above, it is more convenient, economical, suddenly migrate all their class material to one or and usual, as they are tools that are already part of more online platforms. In this sense, institutions that this generation's daily routine. In this context, this had already made this migration suffered less impact model brings flexibility, economy, and respect to the since their academic community was already at least student's learning time without being well organized partially set up with the eLearning model. and losing interactivity. Inter. J. Health Educ., Salvador, 2021 October;5(1):xx-xx http://dx.doi.org/10.17267/2594-7907ijhe.v5i1.3288 | ISSN: 2594-7907 4
For teachers, despite the benefits of having their Conclusions classes recorded and/or being able to teach from anywhere, the fact that it can be used exponentially It is possible that, except for the curricular units with brings a worrying consequence: the dispensability of the obvious need for practical content and, therefore, the teacher's figure. It is not being stated here, in any with indispensable face-to-face and laboratory way, that the teacher is not essential in the process, activity, other disciplines can migrate to the remote but that a single teacher may be responsible for the model in a short period, with the constant quality classes of a given curricular unit for a larger number of increase due to the availability of new technological students/classes which, on-site, would be unfeasible. tools, the adaptation of HEIs and teacher training. As Therefore, this configuration may generate dismissals in other professions due to technological innovation, of other professionals involved in the same curricular the time has come for teachers to undergo profound unit, a phenomenon that is already clearly presented changes in their work configuration. Will it cause at this moment. layoffs and a reduction of income? It is not possible to say. Can it open new perspectives? Nobody knows Despite the advantages already described, much for sure. Will it impact the quality of the trainees? It is is still discussed about the quality of remote and still too early to say because although it is expanding, distance learning. As an example, the use of active there are still few studies in the area. methodologies, so debated and used today, lacks better adaptations and evidence of effectiveness in It is undeniable that medical education is being this model. eLearning evaluation is another obstacle profoundly transformed from this global health crisis. that needs to be better discussed. On the other hand, However, it is still too early to affirm with certainty the although there is a need for deeper, broader, and size of this impact. In the future, it will be necessary better methodological studies on the subject24, the to adapt the concept of evidence-based medical literature brings evidence of equal effectiveness or education to assess the practical repercussions of even superior to face-to-face teaching as long as there this pandemic on medical education. is the use of methods that allow the achievement of the objectives of the discipline/course, student interaction and teacher feedback.25 The quality barriers that may still exist will probably be solved very Author contributions soon as the eLearning modality gains more followers, the competition increases, and the technologies All authors contributed to the conception, development, and writing of the scientific article, having approved the final version evolve. In this sense, the universalization of this model forwarded for publication. in Brazil, problems of access (connection), and the inability of teachers and tutors with the technological Competing interests tools used are unfavorable factors. No financial, legal, or political conflicts involving third parties This change in the educational paradigm experienced, (government, companies and private foundations, etc.) have been imposed, and accelerated by the current pandemic declared for any aspect of the submitted work (including, but not may mean substantial changes in the working limited to grants and financing, participation in the advisory board, relationship. Migration to the work model by contract study design, preparation of the manuscript, statistical analysis, etc.). or legal entity? Opportunities for teachers to develop new skills and tools with a financial return? It is not yet possible to say. However, it is past time for reflection on this topic. Inter. J. Health Educ., Salvador, 2021 October;5(1):xx-xx http://dx.doi.org/10.17267/2594-7907ijhe.v5i1.3288 | ISSN: 2594-7907 5
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